Water heater



Aug. 3,1926. R. E. NEWELL WATER HEATER Filed sept. 1s, 1924 2 sheetssmet 1 FIG FIG. 3

INVENTO'R Aug. 3 1926.

' R. E. NEWELL K WATER HEATER Filed sept. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -INvvENToR Patented Aug. 3, `1926.

A UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFlcE.

WATER HEATER.

Application filed September 16, 1924. Serial No. 738,069.

My invention relates to water heaters, and yhas particular reference to apparatus applicable to the burners and tanks of water heaters, with a vview to conserving heat.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of apparatus whereby heat, which has heretofore been wasted,may be absorbed by the water being heated and which also vprevents radiation of heat from the tank containing the water.

Another object of my invention is to provide adevice that ymay be easily applied to or removed from waterV heaters already installed, and which is adaptable to a variety of styles and sizes of heaters.

Still another object of my invention is t simplify and improve generally the structure and function of devices of this character.

Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a heater to which myinvention is applied; Fig. 2 is a view, in elevation, of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view, partially in elevation and partially vin section, of another portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail view, on an. enlarged scale, of a portion of the jacket of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an elevational View, partially in section, of a modified form of apparatus; 6 is a view, on an enlarged scale, showing the form of sealingv joint which I employ, Fig. Tis a'view of a blank, on a reducedscale, employed in making the jackets of Figs. '1 and 5, and Fig. 8 is'still another modification, wherein provision is made for a flue Connection.

The apparatus is shown as applied to a water which circulates through the tank 1() and VCoils 12 in a mannerwell known, particularly in the domestic water-heating art. The apparatus to be hereinafter described is an improvement on the apparatus Vdescribed and claimed in my .Copending application, Serial No. 568,658 Iiled'June 15, 1922. The principal parts of my apparatus comprise a metal ljaclnst 13 formed of a blank as shown in Fig. 7; an vasbestos `liner 14 Secured tothe acket l3by cementing or otherwise; a sealing band 1.5 and straps 1,6 and 17 for securing the aforementioned parts to- `which a' iue section 19 tits. l2Ohas telescopic relation with the section tank 10 having agas heater 11 4for heating gether and holding them in position rupon the tank 10, and a sweat band or pad 40.'

The jacketl and liner llt are provided with an opening for the reception' of a flue ring 18 of sheet material and the like into A flue section 19 and -communicates with the heater 1l. This telescopic relation permits the ready adaptation of thedevice to heaters of varying height.

The lower end of the jacket 13 is provided with a plurality of flexible turned-,in tongues so that they may be bent inwardly to form the flange 21. This flange 21 is at such angle that it tends to grip the exterior wall of the tank 10, thus resisting the tendency of the jacket 13 to move downwardly as well as centering` the jacket with respect to the tank and insuring a uniform spacing between the interior of the tank and the exterior of the lining 14,. Openings are provided near the bottom ofthe jacket 1 3 for the eXit of burnt gases. A sheet metal band23 is provided in order to present a finished a pearance'to the bottom of the jacket, andD clamp the jacket in position, also drawing the joint tight.k Y

- The sealingjrng l57 of asbestos, preferably provided with an exterior coating of Vasphalt or therlike is mountedin a steel band 17, and clamped around the upper end of the jacket 13, and the flange portion 25 thereof, and is slitted as shown in Fig. 2, in n a manner similar'to the flange portion25. The upper edge of the s litted portion is clamped tightly against the boiler v10 bythe strap 17. The band 16 iS Provided with inwardly extending tongue portions, at 16a, struck out from the body 'thereof and bent backwardly upon the interior of the surface of the ring 16,in the manner shown in Fig. 2. i

The inner surface of the sealing member 15, beingl of asbestos, will not adhere, when heated, to the tank orjacfket, but the exterior thereof is coated with asphalt or similar material so that when it becomes heated, the asphalt will soften and cause adherence between superposed flaps ofthe member l15, adjacent to their edges, to Yprevent circu1ation of air therebetween.l If the parts should be disassembled and again assembled, the

asphalt will automatically effect a sealing action as in the first instance.

The form of jacket just described permits the jacket to be installed on tanks of varying diameters and in places where the clearance between the tank and the wall of the building is very small, as the flaps and inturned flanges, at top and bottom provide flexibility and the jacket need not be symmetrically disposed around the tank, but may be applied where there is less than an inch of space between the tank and a wall. lvleretofore-gaskets or rings have commonly been placed around the tank between the outer wall of the tank and the ends of the jacket to effect a sealing and spacing, but such constructions require a fixed clearance space for their installation do not admit of adjustment for variations in the diameter of the boiler, and become loose by expansion and contraction due to heat.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, the jacket member 13 is provided with tongue portions 2T and 23, bent to the form shown in Fig. 6, so that when the bands 16 and 23 are tightened, the tongue portions 2'? and 28 of Fig. 6 will be forced together, forming a V-jcint and preventing the loss of heat therethrough. The upper end of the jacket 13 is provided with extensions 29 that may be bent to the form shown in Fig. L1 and be hooked one within the other to assist in holding the upper end of the jacket in position.

These hooks 29 are particularly useful in assembling the acket to a tank and enable one man to conveniently do the work. Ordinarily one man would have to hold the jacket while another fastens the bands 1G. By the use of the hooks 2,9 particularly at the lower end of the blank (Fig. 7), the lower end of the-jacket can be thereby held in position while the workman is fastening the bands. The hooks can be bent over for a greater or less distance to accommodate the jacket to tanks of various diameters.

A band 30 of heat insulating material is disposed about the upper end of 'the tank 10 and secured in place thereon by'strans 17 and a strap 31. Y

Another feature to which attention is called is the provision of a fire screen 35 in the flue 2O for preventing explosions. The screen is of an area that it may have perforations sufficient to permit the flow of the usual burnt gases. However, the screen mesh is of such fineness that flame from the heater below is prevented from igniting the unburnt gas which may have accumulated in the Vflue pipes or the jacket.

Referring now to Fig. 5, T show a device that is applicable to a heater which employs a ring burner 36 instead of a heater such as shown at 11 in Fig. 1. In this construction the jacket 13a is of substantially the would otherwise be dissipated from the' burner rine and circulates it tlirouoh the flue l C u n b pipes 20 and 19l to the jacket 1oil and downwardly along the boiler asin the case ofV Fig. 1.

ln Figs. 1 and 5, 40 is an evaporating pad disposed around the bottom of thejtank and .Y

serves to prevent dripping of condensed moisture to the floor of the room in which the tank may be mounted. The pad is made of porous or perforated material as asbestos, copper screen or the like so that it prevents Vfree flow of condensate and will absorb and spread it to such degree that all of the condensate normally formed during the heating of a cold tank will be evaporated instead of dripping to the floor. VVhen'the pad becomes warm the evaporation from the pad AIO is of course hastened. This arrangement permits the installation of a heater in a u kitchen or other room without the necessity of employing a drip pan.

l/Vhere it is desired to conduct the burnt and cooled gases from theinterior of the jacket 13a tothe chimney instead of permit ting them to exit into the room through the openings at the bottom of the jacket, a flue band 23a may be provided, (Fig. S) covering the openings 22, and a flue pipe having its ends communicating with said flue band and a chimney, respectively, may be connected thereto as at 23". 1n this case the bottom of the jacket 13 would ybe left open substantially as shown, as well as the lower edge of the flue band, so that draft to the chimney would not be so great as to cause such rapid flow of burnt gases through the flue pipes 20 and 19, that the heat of the combustion gases would not be absorbed when passing downwardly along the surface of the tank. Y

It will be noted that the Hue opening 23b i is below the lower edge of the jacket 13. This is to insure that the flow of burnt gases from the flue 19will not follow the shortest path between the upper end of said Hue and the iue opening 23h, as would be the case if a flue hole were merely in the lower end of the jacket. Y

l claim as my invention:

1. A jacket for vertically disposed hot water tanks and the like, comprising a metallic shell having a liner of heat insulating material surrounding the tank in spaced relation thereto, and a sealing ring tightly fitting the upper edge of said shell and tapering inwardly into engagement with said tank, the upper edge of said shell vbeing' provided with a tapering flange portion fitting against the tapering portion of said sealing ring.

2. A jacket for vertically disposed Ahot water tanks and the like, comprising a metallic shell having a. liner of heat insulating material surrounding the tank in spaced relation thereto, and a sealing ring fitting the upper edge of said shell and tapering inwardly into engagement with said tank, the upper edge of said shell being provided with a tapering flange portion fitting against the tapering` portion of said sealing ring, the said sealing ring being composed of longitudinally slitted heat-insulating material to form flaps which may lie in overlapping relation to permit the convenient formation of the tapering portion referred to.

8. A jacket for vertically disposed hot water tanks andthe like, comprising a metallic shell having a liner of heat insulating material surrounding the tank in spaced relation thereto, and a sealing ring tightlj7 fitting the upper edge of said shell and tapering inwardly into engagement with said tank, the upper edge of said shell being provided with a tapering` flange portion iitn ting against the tapering port-ion of said sealing ring, the said sealing ring being` composed of longitudinally slitted heat-insulating material to form flaps which may lie in ,over-lapping relation to permit the convenient formation of the tapering portion referred to, and being provided with cementitious material upon one side thereof so that the overlapping flap portions will adhere one to the other.

Ll. A,A jacket for vertically disposed hot water tanks and the like, comprising a metallic shell having a liner of heat insulating material surrounding the tank in spaced relation thereto, and a sealing ring tightly fitting the upper edge of said shell and ta-V pering inwardly into engagement with said tank, the upper edge of said shell being provided with a tapering flange portion fitting against the tapering portion of said sealing ring, the said sealing ring being composed of longitudinally7 slitted heat-insulating mal terial to form flaps which may lie in overlapping relation to permit the convenient formation of the tapering portion referred to, and being provided with cementiti'ous material which softens inthe presence of heat from the tank.

5. A jacket for hot water tanks having substantially uniform cross sectional area throughout its body portion, and having one end slitted longitudinally to form flaps which may overlap to permit the formation of a snugly fitting inwardly turned end portion, and having cut-out portions at its other extremity to provide for the formation of inturned flange portions.

6. A jacket .for tanks of cylindrical form, comprising a body portion having end seals provided with infolded tongues whose free extremities engage the boiler, and means for clamping said extremities to the boiler, the tongues being iiexible to permit floating adjustment of the jacket with respect to the boiler.

7. A heating and heat retaining jacket for vertical boilers, comprising an end seal having a flat flexible band clamped around the body of said jacket and having inf-olded tongues whose opposite ends are clamped around the boiler, said tongues containing a cementitious material which, when acted 0n by the heat of the boiler or acket will automatically seal the folds thereof.

8. The combination with an upright heating tank, of a relatively short jacket surrounding the same in spaced relation thereto and open at its bottom, and a moisturedistributing pad snugly fitting' the boiler beneath the open end of said jacket.

9. The combination with an upright heating tank, of a jacket surrounding the same in spaced relation thereto, a combustion heater for said tank, a flue leading into said jacket at its upper end, circumferentially disposed openings provided at the lower end of said jacket, a chamber surrounding said openings, and a flue Vconnection leading from said chamber.

l0. The combination with an upright heating tank, of a jacket surrounding the same in spaced relation thereto and open at its bottom, a combustion heater for said tank, a flue leading into said jacket at its upper end, and a flue connectionleading from the lower end of said jacket.

11. The combination with a hot water tank, of a combustion heater therefor, a jacket surrounding a portion of said tank and in spaced relation thereto, a flue leading from said heater into the upper end of said jacket, and a flue connection in the lower end of said jacket.

l2. The combinati-on with a hot water tank, of a combustion heater therefor, a

jacket surrounding a portion of said tankl and in spaced relation thereto, a flue band disposed concentrically of the lower end of the jacket to form a chamber for burnt gases, and provided with a flue connection, the said flue band being adjustable in a direction circumferentially of said jacket.

In testimony whereof I, the said ROBERT E. NEWELL, have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT E. NEWELL. 

